Key



April 27, F E BEST 2,440,429

KEY

Original Filed Jan. 8; 1942 INvENTon.

Patented Apr. 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KEY Frank EllisonBest, Indianapolis, Ind.

Original application January 8, 1942, Serial No. 425,952. Divided andthis application January 15, 1945, Serial No. 572,902

29 Claims. (Cl. 'l0-395) Nature and objects This invention pertains tolock keys and particularly to keys having their combinatable portion,designated the bit, releasably attached to the blade.

The principal objects of this invention are:

l1. To provide such a key, comprising a handle, ablade, a bit and latchmeans, in which the bit is attachable to, and detachable from, the bladeby a sidewise rotary movement of one part relative to the other when thelatch means thereof is released.

2. To provide such a key in which a certain forward movement of the key,simulating the insertion of such a key in a lock, over a xed pin, as onexed in the end of the keyway oi a lock, releases the latch means.

3. To provide such a key of the ilat type having a comparatively ilat,longitudinally-iluted blade, in winch the bit forms an extension, ofcommon keyway-fitting form, to the said blade.

4. To make the fact, that the bit is detachable from the blade, asunnoticeable as possible by making the bit and blade close fitting attheir junctures and by making the bit of the same general contouras therest of the blade and so designing the key that the longitudinaldivision between blade and bit forming thevkey blade is in corners ofiluted grooves on both sides of the key.

5. To make the thus assembled key as strong and rugged as possible byproviding tongue and groove construction between the latch means andblade and bit, along one edge and one end of said bit.V

Description of figures vention with the bit in its released positionreadyJ to be separated from the blade by arcuate sidewise movement ofthe blade relative to the bit. Fig. 2, 3 and 4 are transverse sectionstaken on broken lines 2--2, 3 3, and 4-4 respectively of Fig.v 1.. i

a Fig. 5 shows an isometric view of the bit.

. 2 Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of thevblade and handle.

Fig. '1 shows a sectional view of latch bolt`|94 ready for assembly intoblade |80.

Structural description This key comprises a blade |88 having the usuallobe or handle I8| on its outer end and having a shouldered portion |82adjacent the handle. The blade portions |88 and |82 are adapted to entera keyway of a lock and the shouldered portion |82 is adapted to abutagainst a shoulder in the lock to position the Vkey longitudinally inthe lock and to provide a strong member for transmitting torque.

A notch |84 is provided in the bla-de |88 a short distance forwardly ofthe shouldered portion |82 for engagement with key retaining means in alock.

The blade has the .usual side utes or grooves |85 and one edge portionof said blade is provided with two longitudinally spaced `apart notches|88 and |81 for the reception of a separable combinated portion |88herein referred to asa key bit or simply a bit, jointly forming withsaid blade, a key blade. Overhanging lugs |89 and |98 are provided inconnection with the respective notches |86 and |81 to engage with lugs|'9I' and |92 on the respective ends of the separable `key bit member|88. These notches and lugs are preferably arcuate in cross section asbest shown in Figs. 2 and 3. i

The bitted edge of the key bit member comprises a series of steppedportions 2918 whichv may have abrupt or square corners and which are ofindividually distinctive heights and are longitudinally offset from eachother the proper distances to cause the `stepped portions of the key bitalways to align themselves with respective lock tumblers when the key isin the correct lock operating position in a mating lock.

The lugs |9| on the end of the key bit member are preferably two innumber and are transversely spaced apart to provide a grooveor space 285therebetween for the entrance of a. locking lug |93 of a latch bolt |94,see Fig. l, that is embedded in a recess lll in the blade |88. The latchbolt |94 has twoinclined portions |95 and |98 that are guided in theblade |89 in such a manner as to cause` the latch bolt to be movedtoward the bit |88 when it is moved toward the tip end of the blade andto be moved away from the bit |88 when it is mov-ed toward the lobe endof the key.

A compression latch spring |91 in a hole, recess or bore |98 in the keyblade presses against one side of a latching pin |99 that engages with alug 294 of the latch bolt |94. The other side of the lug 20d is engagedby a latch releasing means 200 that extends to the forward end of theblade |80 and is adapted to be engaged and actuated by a latch-releasingmeans such as pin 9|, foreign to the key yand which may be a part of alock, being secured rigidly in the end of the keyway thereof, or whichmay otherwise be held rigidly, and thus adapted to cooperate with theforward movement of the key thereover to release the latch bolt |94, asshown in Fig. 1.

The end of the key is crimped inward around bore |98 at 20| to preventthe removal of latch releasing member 200 and at the same time leaving ahole or recess 98 large enough to freely admit pin 90. Said latchreleasing member 209 is rounded and shouldered at 202 so as to match thecontour of the key point and said crimped portion 20| when the key ismoved away from pin 9|.

A shallow groove 203 is provided in the bottom edge of the separable bitmember |88 to receive the top edge of the latch bolt |94 and therebycooperate with the locking lug |93 to lock the detachable bit member |88against transverse displacement.

When the key is inserted in a lock provided with a pin releasing means9|, the said means 9| will be moved relatively into the hole or recess98, in the end of the key, as shown in Fig. 1, and the latch bolt |914and lug |93 will likewise be moved out of engagement with the groove 203and lugs |9| respectively. When this occurs the separable bit member |88will be released as re-y spects the blade |80; and bit and blade can bemoved sidewise and rotatively relative to each other. When the bit islocked to the blade the lugs |9| and |92 are held beneath theoverhanging lugs |89 and |90 of the blade. The lug |93 is positionedbetween the lugs |9|; and the upper edge of latch bolt |94 is positionedin the groove 203. This binds the bit rmly and immovably to the blade;and said bit will not be normally detached from the blade at any timeexcept when a latch releasing vmeans 9| is inserted as shown in Fig. 1.Also said bit will be re-engaged with the blade as the key is beingremoved from the said means 9|.

' When the bit |88 is engaged with the blade the lower edge of the bitwill coincide with one of the longitudinal grooves |85 in the sides ofthe key and the lines of the bit and blade will merge in such a mannerthat they will appear to be one piece and the fact that the key has adetachable bit will not ordinarily be noticed by persons looking at thekey.

The combinated portion 206 of the bit member is narrower than the baseportion thereof, as best shown in Fig. 2, to provide on the key bitmember, a shoulder 201 that is adapted to be engaged by an overhangingledge in a lock.

The blade is provided with four bores 200, 208, 209 and 2|0 and a groove2| forming a recess adapted to accommodate latch bolt |94 and relatedmeans.

The said latch bolt is shown in Fig. 7, as it is originally made. Afterassembly, leg 2|2 is bent down at the narrow portion 2 |3 as shown inFig. 1 so as to provide tongue and groove engagement between latch bolt|94 and bit and blade throughout the full length of bit |88.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letters Patent` of the, United States of America, is:

4 l. In a key blade, the combination `of elements comprising a recessadapted to receive a latch bolt and a latch spring, a latch bolt and alatch spring in said recess and lugs in said key blade adapted tocooperate with said latch bolt and said latch spring to releasably locka detachable key bit to said blade.

2. In a key blade, the combination of elements comprising a recess inthe edge of the key blade adapted to receive a latch bolt, a latch boltin said edge recess, a recess in an end of the key blade adapted toreceive a latch spring, a latch spring in said end recess, overhanginglugs in said key blade adapted to cooperate with said latch bolt andsaid latch spring to releasably lock a detachable key bit to said keyblade to form an extension thereof.

3. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a flat blade, a recess in said blade adapted toreceive a latch bolt, a latch bolt therein, and lugs in said bladeadapted to cooperate with said latch bolt to releasably secure adetachable bit to said blade.

4. In a key adapted to have a .detachable.bit. the combination ofelements comprising a at fluted blade, a recess in an edge of said bladeadapted to receive a latch bolt, said blade having overhanging lugsadapted to cooperate withlatch means, in said recess, to releasablysecure a detachable bit having end portions adapted to be overhung bysaid lugs, to said blade to form an extension thereof.

5. In a key adapted to have a detachablebit, the combination of elementscomprising a flat fluted blade, a recess jointly formed in an edge andan end thereof adapted to receive a latch bolt and a latch spring, alatch bolt and alatch spring in said recess, and lugs onmsaid bladeadapted to cooperate with said latch bolt and latch spring to releasablysecure a detachable bit, having projecting end portions adapted to. beoverhung by said lugs, to said blade to form a keyway-form-ttingextension thereof. Y

6. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a flat fluted blade, a recess jointly formed in anend and an edge thereof, a latch bolt, a latch spring, a latch releasingmember and alatching pin in said recess, and overhanging lugs in saidblade adapted to cooperate with the named elements in said recess toreleasably secure a detachable bit, having projecting end portionsadapted to be overhung by said lugs, to said blade to formakeyway-form-tting extension thereof. K

'7. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a at blade, a recess in said blade adapted toreceive latch means, latch means in said recess, and lug means on saidblade adapted to cooperate with said latch means in releasably retaininga detachable bit attached to said blade.

8. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a Yflat iiuted blade, a recess jointly formed in anedge yand an end thereof, latch means'in'said recess, and blade means,constituting a-portion of said blade, adapted to cooperate with saidlatch means in releasably securing a detachable bit 'to said blade as anextension thereof. V

9. In a key comprising a blade and a detach able bit jointly forming al'lat uted key blade, the combination of elements comprising adetachable bit, a blade, a recess in said blade, latch means in saidrecess, and lug means on'said blade adapted to cooperate with said latchmeans in releasably securing said detachable bit to said blade tojointly form, with said blade, said flat iluted key blade.

10. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a flat iiuted blade, a recess in said blade, latchmeans in said recess adapted to releasably retain a detachable bitattached to said blade, and a hole running lengthwise of the bladeadapted to receive latch releasing means.

1l. In a key blade of the at type, having longitudinal utes, thecombination of elements comprising a recess adapted to receive latchmeans, latch means in said recess including a latch bolt and a latchspring, lug means on said key blade adapted to cooperate with saidlatchmeans in releasably locking a detachable key bit to said blade.

12. In a key blade, of the flat type `adapted to house latch means forsecuring a detachable bit thereto, a recess in said blade adapted toreceive latch releasing means foreign to said key blade.

13. In a key blade, of the flat type adapted to house latch means forsecuring a detachable bit thereto, a recess in an end of the bladeadapted to receive a pin to release the said latch means.

14. In a key adapted to have a detachable kit, the combination ofelements comprising a i'lat blade, a recess jointly formed in an end andedge thereof adapted to receive a latch bolt, and a latch bolt in saidrecess, adapted to releasably secure a detachable bit to said blade,said recess also being adapted to receive latch-releasing means foreignto said key adapted to release said bit from said blade.

15. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a flatluted key blade having iiutes on both sides of said key blade, saidilutes running substantially lengthwise of the key blade, said bit beingreleasably secured in a recess in the edge of said blade.

16. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade, a longitudinal groove in an edge of said bit, and a latch bolt,housed in said blade, having a portion thereof adapted to iit into saidgroove throughout a considerable portion of the length of said bit toprevent edgewise displacement of said bit relative to said blade.

17. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade, a longitudinal groove in an edge of said bit, a latch bolt,housed in said blade, having a portion thereof adapted to t into saidgroove throughout a considerable portion of the length of said bit toprevent endwise displacement of said bit Vrelative to said blade andlatch releasing means,

housed in said key, adapted to cooperate with other latch releasingmeans, foreign to said key, to release said latch bolt from said bit topermit removal of said bit from said blade.

18. In a key iadapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade, a groove in an edge and an end of said bit, and a latch bolt,housed in said blade, having a portion adapted to fit into said groovesto prevent edgewise displacement of said bit relative to said blade.

19. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit,

the-combination of elements comprising a blade and a detachable bitjointly forming a key blade, a groove in an edge and an end of said bit,a latch bolt, ,housed` in said blade, having a portion adapted to fitinto said grooves to prevent edgewise displacement of said bit relativeto said blade, and latch releasing means housed in said blade adapted tobe actuated by other releasing means foreign to said key, to releasesaid latch bolt from said bit.

20. In e, key adapted to have a detachable blt, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade of the iiat type, said blade enfolding a portion of said bit toprevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the bit relative to theblade, and

a latch bolt, housed in a portion of said bladei contiguous withsaidbit, adapted to interlock with said bit to prevent edgewisedisplacement of said bit relative to said blade.

2l. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade of the fiat type, said blade enfolding a portion of said bit toprevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the bit relative to theblade, a latch bolt, housed in a portion of said blade contiguous withsaid bit, adapted to interlock with said bit to prevent edgewisedisplacement of said bit relative to said blade, and a latch releasingmember adapted to release said latch boltfrom said bit to permitedgewise removal of said bit from said blade.

22. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade of the at type, said blade enfolding a portion of said bit toprevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the bit relative to theblade, and a latch bolt, housed in portions of said blade contiguous tosaid bit, adapted to interlock with said bit along one edge and one endof said bit to prevent edgewise 'displacement of said bit relative tosaid blade.

23. In a key adapted to have a detachable bit, the combination ofelements comprising a blade and a detachable bit jointly forming a keyblade of the flattype, said blade enfolding a portion of said bit toprevent longitudinal and lateral displacement of the bit relative to theblade, a latch bolt, housed in portions of said blade contiguous to saidbit, adapted to interlock with said bit along one edge and one end ofsaid bit to prevent edgewise displacement of said bit relative to saidblade, and a latch releasing means, housed in said blade, adapted to beactuated by other latch releasing means, foreign to said key, to re-4lease said latch bolt from said bit to permit edgewise removal of saidbit from said blade.

24. In a key, having a handle and a blade, said .blade being of the ilattype, a detachable key bit adapted to be carried by said blade andforming an extension thereof, said key bit having endwise extending lugsadapted to cooperate with end-enfolding and end-overhanging lugs on thekey blade adapted to trap the bit against removal in the plane of theblade, and latch means carried by said blade adapted to releasablysecure said bit against sidewise displacement.

25. In a key, having a handle and a blade, said blade being of the flat,iluted type having flutes on both sides of said blade runningsubstantially lengthwise of the blade, a detachable key bit adapted tobe carried by said blade and forming an extension thereof, said key bithaving endwise extending lugs adapted to cooperate with end-enfoldingand end-overhanging lugs on the key blade adapted to trap the bitagainst removal edgewise and lengthwise f said blade, .and latch meanscarriedV by said blade adapted to releasably secure said bit againstsidewise displacement and removal from said blade.

` 26. In a key, comprising a blade of the at, fluted type having alongitudinal flute on one side of said key, a detachable key bit adaptedto be carried by said blade and to form an extension thereof, said bitjoining said blade substantially along a longitudinal flute of said keywith the edge juncture of the said parts being substantially parallelwith, and meeting along a corner of said iiute.

27. In a key, comprising a blade of the flat, fiuted type having alongitudinal ute in one side of said key, a detachable key bit adaptedto be carried by said blade and to form an extension thereof, said bitjoining said blade substantially along a longitudinal flute of said keywith the edge juncture of the said parts being substantially parallelwith, and meeting along a. corner of said flute, part of said flutebeing formed in said blade and part in said bit.

28. In a key comprising a key blade of the flat, fluted type, having a,longitudinal flute on one side of said key, said blade being adapted tocarry a detachable bit thereon, a bit-receiving opening in an edge ofsaid blade, said bit-receiving opening having a relatively long,straight surface that runs substantially Vparallel with said ilute andthat joins said flute along a corner that is practically an extension ofa corner of said ute. Y

Y 29. In a key, comprising a key blade of the fiat, iluted type, havinga longitudinal iiute on one side of said key substantially parallel witha guiding edge thereof, said blade being adapted to carry a detachablebit in a bit-receiving opening in the other edge of said blade, saidbit-receiving opening having a relatively long, straight surface thatruns substantially parallel With said uteand that joins said flute alonga line that is practically a continuation of a corner of said flute,said surface having a recess for the accommodation of latch means, andsaid opening comprising notcheswith overhanging lugs at the ends thereofadapted to cooperate with the latch means in said recess in the lockingof a key bit in said opening.

FRANK ELLISON BEST.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the

